Dublin GAA mourns death of football stalwart Dave Billings

DUBLIN GAA has been left in a state of shock mingled with deep sadness at the news that Dave Billings passed away suddenly overnight.

A Sky Blue legend in so many ways - as a dual player, manager, selector and county board delegate - Billings will be particularly missed by all those who knew him at St Vincent’s, UCD and the various Dublin county teams he served with.

In recent years he was best known for his role as a Dublin senior football selector under two consecutive managers - Tommy Lyons and Paul Caffrey.

The latter served alongside Billings for seven eventful campaigns and was distraught at his untimely passing. “The most competitive ‘divil’ I ever across,” Caffrey recalled today.

“When you were on the opposite sideline to Dave Billings, you knew you were in for a real battle - and yet he was the most lovable rogue I ever came across in the GAA.

“He knew every player that played football in Dublin. He knew every kid that was coming through the system. And he had a fantastic football brain. I never enjoyed working with anyone as much as Dave Billings.”

A Dublin U21 footballer and hurler, he was an All-Ireland SFC winner in 1974 as part of Kevin Heffernan’s ground-breaking squad. He later managed the Dublin U21 footballers and numerous UCD teams (where he worked as Gaelic Games executive), while taking temporary charge of the Dublin senior hurlers in the early noughties.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media:

So sad to hear of the passing of Dave Billings. A great Dublin & UCD GAA man but also a warm, friendly neighbour. Rest in Peace.